Introduction

Power systems are our primary area of expertise and are what we think we do best. We are not alone in this view and, as noted elsewhere, our work is highly regarded both by our clients and our industry accreditation body, the BCSE.

Stand Alone

These are self contained power supplies that operate independently of the electricity grid. People tend to choose these systems rather than pay the often huge costs of connecting coal fired electricity to their properties. These systems use solar, wind or water power in whatever combination best suits your site, power requirements and budget.

Stand alone systems can attract one of two available rebates. The PVRP offers a maximum of $8,000 on solar based systems, whilst the RRPGP is available for all renewable based systems installed in sites that are classed as remote and will cover up to half the cost of the system. Conditions apply to both programs. Give us a ring to find out whether you qualify.

Grid Connect

These are an excellent way to reduce your contribution to global warming by giving your home a smaller carbon footprint. Grid connected solar has received a huge boost with the increase in the PVRP to a maximum of $8,000 and is now more affordable than ever.

Whilst we still don't believe it is possible to make a solid case for it on strictly financial grounds, it can nonetheless be a worthwhile thing to do. After all, we do not expect things such as motor vehicles or overseas holidays to pay us back financially and neither of these reduce our impact on global warming, add value to our home, or reduce our living expenses.

This may also change for the better at any time of course. The Victorian State Government is currently considering a range of incentives for the adoption of grid connect solar and the price of electricity is almost certain to rise significantly in real terms as it is expected to move closer to the true cost of burning coal.

How stand alone systems work

Electricity is produced by photovoltaic (solar) panels, wind &/or micro-hydro turbine and stored in a battery bank for later use. The energy stored in the batteries is turned into standard 240V power using an electronic device called an inverter, which supplies your house via a standard switchboard.

Virtually all household appliances can be run reliably from an independent power supply. Many will actually run better and than ever due to the high quality and stability of the power provided by modern systems.

Costs

These depend almost entirely on how much energy you want, or need, to use - less power equals lower cost. Stand alone systems run from $15,000 to $45,000 and grid connected systems start at less than $10,000 after rebates. Once we know how much power you expect to use, we can tel you exactly how much it will cost to do it.

As a general rule, any appliance that uses electricity to produce heat will consume a significant amount of it. Electric jugs, toasters and fan heaters fall into this category. Refrigeration is another large energy consumer and various alternatives to standard fridges and freezers are available.

All of the above can be catered for in a stand alone system - we can run anything you like - though you can save yourself a substantial amount on the cost of a system by looking at different ways of doing some or all of these things.

Further information

Find out more about the advantages of stand alone systems over grid extensions, then check out why people think our systems are the best.

We have also produced a guide to the costs of grid connected systems (pdf, opens in a new window, or right-click to download) which will give you an idea as to how much power can be produced by these systems and what you could typically expect to pay for them.

If you are looking for a power system within the Goulburn/North East region of Victoria and would like to discuss the viability of alternative energy for your application, please give us a call. We can answer your questions far more quickly and simply by telephone than by email and can send you a copy of our introductory package on request.

For stand alone systems, we need to get at least a rough idea of your expected consumption so that we can design a system that is right for you. If you would like to start this process now then download our Power Usage Calculator (pdf, opens in a new window, or right-click to download) and give us a call when you have completed it.

Product Information

For more on some of the system components we use, take a look at these sites:

Micro-Hydro Turbines - Platypus Power

Inverters - Selectronic, Solar Energy Australia, Latronics, Outback Power

Batteries - Sonnenschein, Raylite, Trojan, Exide

Solar Controllers - Plasmatronics

Photovoltaic Modules (solar panels) - BP Solar

Wind Turbines - Southwest Windpower (AIR), SOMA

The Sustainability Victoria site contains a range of information which may also be useful.

• Introduction to the Photovoltaic Rebate Program
• How to apply for a rebate
• PVRP Guidelines (pdf, opens in a new window, or right-click to download)
• PVRP Application Form (pdf, opens in a new window, or right-click to download)